Vung Tau, the beach town about 100 km south-east of central Ho Chi Minh City, makes an easy day trip. The hydrofoil takes about 2 hours down the Saigon River, and buses and limousines about the same by road. Once there, climb the 811 steps to the 32 m Christ statue, visit the French lighthouse and the White Palace, swim at Back Beach, and eat banh khot for lunch. It is a lived-in seaside town rather than a resort, and best on a weekday in the dry season.
Since Ba Ria-Vung Tau province merged into Ho Chi Minh City in July 2025, Vung Tau is technically part of the city, and its centre is now Vung Tau ward. For the other escapes from Ho Chi Minh City, see our best day trips from Ho Chi Minh City guide.
Getting there from Ho Chi Minh City
| Option | Time | Price (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GreenlinesDP hydrofoil | ~2 hours | 350,000 VND adults (from 1 Oct 2026) | River journey, pier near Ham Nghi street |
| Coach or limousine van | ~2-3.5 hours | ~160,000-230,000 VND | Frequent departures |
| Car with driver | ~1.5-2 hours | ~1.2-1.5 million VND | Most flexible |
By hydrofoil. GreenlinesDP runs the fast boat down the Saigon River and across the bay in about 2 hours. Since 28 August 2025 it has left from Pier No. 4, opposite Ham Nghi street, about 400 m from its old pier at Bach Dang, and it arrives at Ho May pier at the north end of Front Beach. Since 1 October 2026 the adult fare is 350,000 VND every day, which the operator calls a temporary fuel-price fare, and children aged 6 to 11 and seniors over 63 pay 300,000 VND. The operator no longer publishes its timetable online and asks passengers to call its hotline, so check departure times the day before. Service is occasionally suspended for maintenance, as it was from 14 to 16 September 2026.
By road. Phuong Trang coaches charge about 160,000 to 170,000 VND and take about 3.5 hours, and limousine vans about 180,000 to 230,000 VND for about 2 to 2.5 hours, in an October 2026 search; our limousine van guide explains the difference. The new Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway opened as far as Ba Ria in May 2026, but it is open only to cars with fewer than 9 seats, and it ends near Ba Ria, so coaches still use the old highway. A car with driver costs roughly 1.2 to 1.5 million VND; confirm whether that is one way or return.
The best combination is often the hydrofoil down in the morning and a limousine back at the end of the day, which does not depend on the boat's afternoon timetable.
What to see
Christ of Vung Tau. The 32 m statue of Christ, with arms spanning 18.4 m, stands on Nui Nho, the small mountain at the southern tip of the town. It was begun in the early 1970s and consecrated in 1994. The climb is about 811 steps, and a spiral staircase of 133 steps inside the statue leads to viewpoints at the shoulders. Entry is free. Cover your shoulders and knees, take off your shoes to go inside, and go early: sources give opening hours of about 7:00 to 17:00, and some report a break at midday.
The lighthouse. Also on Nui Nho, Vung Tau's lighthouse was first built by the French in 1862 and rebuilt in 1913, about 170 m above the sea, with views over the whole peninsula. Allow an hour, and walk or take a taxi up the hill road.
The White Palace (Bach Dinh). This colonial villa on the slopes of Nui Lon was built between 1898 and 1902 for the French governor-general, and Emperor Thanh Thai was held here from 1907 to 1916. It is now a protected national historic site in gardens above the bay, reached by a path of 146 steps.
Ho May Park. A cable car climbs Nui Lon to a hilltop park at the north end of Front Beach. A ticket for the cable car and gardens costs 100,000 VND, or 500,000 VND for a full-day pass with the park's rides.
The beaches. Vung Tau has four: Back Beach (Bai Sau), the long beach on the east side of the peninsula; Front Beach (Bai Truoc), the curve of the bay along the town centre; and the small coves of Strawberry Beach (Bai Dau) and Pineapple Beach (Bai Dua). At Nghinh Phong Cape, beyond the Christ statue, a rocky headland marks the southernmost point of Ho Chi Minh City's mainland. A new Sun World water park opened in the Phuoc Thang area in February 2026, with tickets from about 199,000 VND.
What to eat
Vung Tau's speciality is banh khot, small, crisp rice-flour pancakes cooked in a dimpled pan with coconut milk and topped with shrimp, eaten wrapped in lettuce and herbs with a sweet-sour dipping sauce. It is a breakfast or lunch dish, sold at small restaurants across the town. The town is also known for seafood, sold by weight at the restaurants along the beaches: ask the price per kilo and check the weight before it is cooked.
A day plan
- Morning: hydrofoil from Pier No. 4, or an early limousine, arriving around 10:00.
- 10:30: climb to the Christ statue before the midday heat, then walk out to Nghinh Phong Cape.
- 12:30: banh khot or a seafood lunch.
- 14:00: the lighthouse or the White Palace.
- 15:30: swim at Back Beach.
- 17:00: limousine back to the city, arriving around 19:00.
When to go
- December to April: the dry season, with only about 1 to 34 mm of rain a month. The best time.
- May to October: the wet season, with 180 to 240 mm a month, often in afternoon storms. Our Ho Chi Minh City weather guide shows the same pattern.
- Weekdays: Vung Tau is Saigon's weekend beach, and the hydrofoil charges more at weekends.
Who it's for
Vung Tau suits long-stay visitors and expats who want a beach day, families, and travellers who have already done the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi. First-time visitors with one spare day will usually get more from the delta, Cu Chi or the Tay Ninh day trip. If you want mangroves rather than beaches, see Can Gio. Vung Tau is also a departure point for the ferry to Con Dao; our ferry prices guide has the fares.
Limitations
The hydrofoil fares are the operator's official 2026 prices, but its timetable is no longer published online. Bus, limousine and car prices are indicative, from travel sites rather than operators. We could not confirm current opening hours and fees for the lighthouse and the White Palace, and sources disagree on the Christ statue's hours. The expressway's rules may change as its remaining sections open.
Workaround: call the hydrofoil operator the day before, book a named bus or limousine operator for the return, and check opening hours locally on the morning of your trip.